Editor,
There is an acute water shortage faced by many homes in the Lumdiengsoh (Motinagar) area of Shillong. It is now over 4 months that my tenants and I, along with many other neighbours, have been combatting this crisis that has disrupted our daily lives. We have children, the elderly, and nursing mothers living with us, and each day is a challenge due to the water crisis in the locality. To add to the misery, there has been no help provided or concern shown by the Headman, who has (unfortunately) proven himself to be the embodiment of cruel apathy and crippling impotence, as such display of lack of leadership cuts a sorry figure. Whenever he is approached via call or in-person to discuss the matter, he is quick to excuse himself on grounds of being out of station, which, by the way, is for most parts of the year. At times he perfunctorily asks us to contact the locality plumber. For the record, our locality has no ‘active’ plumber and residents are left to fend for themselves because a salaried plumber (living off funds from locality residents) decides to take a ‘vacation’ from the troubles faced by people and keeps his phone switched off.
It is painful to witness the overflow and wastage of water from several leaking pipes of the locality, while in the same area, residents are losing sleep over water paucity. We are purchasing water every alternate day, while our less-privileged tenants and neighbours are having to run their homes on two precious buckets of water a day. We are desperate, but unwavering in our fight for access to our basic right to water and sanitation that is fundamental to human dignity.
While the world watches the new year unfold with it the devastating saga of clashes between world powers, I appeal to fellow Meghalayans – before we empathize with our brothers and sisters thousands of kilometres away with well-intentioned tweets and hashtags, let us first break the curse of oblivion and aloofness over matters that concern our immediate neighbours. To speak up, when it matters, is the first step.
Yours etc.,
M. Bhattacharya
Via email
Need proper maintenance to our picnic spots
Editor,
Meghalaya is blessed with beautiful natural picnic spots where thousands of tourists converge every day. Our locals earn their livelihoods from serving tourists who come to visit our picnic spots. The pandemic had ruined the livelihoods of many who depend on tourists but with normalcy returning tourists are pouring in but the tourist spots are full of garbage and without any disposal system in place. As a local I am ashamed and saddened that many of our tourist spots charge high entry fees but don’t maintain the venues. Tourists have started complaining about the high costs and non-maintenance. One wrong impression from a tourist can discourage hundreds of tourists who wish to visit our state just because of our apathy. Last month a tourist asked me for a washroom at Noh-Ka-Likai but to my surprise the washroom is not maintained. It was dirty and had no water facility. This situation will deter tourists from visiting Meghalaya and the locals will be the losers. Why are entry fees collected if not for maintaining the tourist spots? And who is keeping a tab on all this? If the entry fees are reasonable and well maintained tourists will revisit. Alas! Most people look at immediate profit that can destroy our future.
Yours etc.,
Aiborlang Nongsiej,
Mawkyrwat
Meghalaya State Competitive Exams: Whither transparency?
Editor,
The Letter to the editor, ‘MPSC needs Comprehensive reforms’ (ST April 14, 2022) which referred to a news report by BJP State Vice President, Bernard N Marak calling for reforms in the recruitment process, is thought provoking. I would like to express my views on how the MPSC can bring transparency, efficiency, and productive results by adopting some of the transparency measures in the entire recruitment process and the conduct of examinations. Many competitive Exams such as AIEEE (Now JEE), PMT (Now NEET), IBPS, SSC, UPSC, GATE, NIELIT, NIC, ICAR, State Competitive Exams, etc. almost all follow the same procedures, which result in more transparent and unambiguous results based purely on merit. The main reasons that competitive exams in Meghalaya, whether conducted by MPSC, DSC, or Departmental, are being questioned on their transparency is because they adopt the same old methods adopted 5 years ago and will continue to adopt that even 5 years hence.
Referring to the Office Memorandum(OMs) issued by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms(B) Department, to both the DSC and MPSC, there is no rule pointed out in the OMs where the State Level Competitive Exams should refrain from adopting transparency measures in the conduct of examinations. While the manner they conduct the exams may be 100% transparent, does that transparency reflect in the selection of candidates? The Big Question here is how does one justify the effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency in the entire examination and recruitment system?
Many feel that this should be a two-way communication (Bi-Communication) process. We are in the age of ‘DIGITISATION’, hence conducting online exams in our State is next to impossible due to many factors. I don’t think digitization and online exams are the only ways to ensure transparency. It’s just to speed up the entire exam procedure, create a hassle-free environment and quick turnaround time, etc.
There are many ways of adopting transparency measures if the MPSC, DSC etc., want to even within the present pattern of conducting exams. Transparency measures that can be adopted are as follows: a) Having answers keys for different sets of question papers on the official website after the exams. Knowing the answer keys, candidates can evaluate their own performance and they will know their strengths and weaknesses in the subject matter. b) Platforms that allow the candidate to file a representation with regards to the objections/challenges for wrongly printed questions or answers or any contradictory questions/answers found in the question paper. This will help in the marking systems. c) Details of the cut off notification before the next rounds. d) Details of marks secured by the candidate in the main exams before the personal interview f) Details of final results containing the Name, Roll Number, Marks, etc of each candidate.
If these transparency measures are adopted and the detailed results are published in the Official Website then no one can question the transparency in conduct of examination. There will also be no allegations of nepotism, favoritism, or malpractices in the entire recruitment system. There will be no scope for filing RTI or to knock on the doors of the Court for its intervention. With these measures, I feel as a candidate that the amount I pay for each exam is justified as the process is unambiguous and transparent. Unfortunately, our State Level Exams by MPSC/DSC, etc. have not adopted even a single transparency measure except the DSC East Garo Hills which declared the Answers Key for the Post of Grade IV held on March 12, 2022). Kudos to the Chairperson, Member Secretary, and the entire members of the DSC East Garo Hills.
True that each recruiting agency abides by the rules and regulations of the Office Memorandum(OMs) issued by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, but having read the OMs there is no rule which prevents the above institutions from releasing the answers keys or from adopting any one of the above transparency measures. As Quoted by the Dalai Lama, “A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.”
To conclude, our State Level Competitive Exams organised by the MPSC, DSC need not just urgent and comprehensive reforms but a complete transformation!
Yours etc.,
C.L.Kynshi,
Via email